Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola reached a major managerial milestone this week after surpassing a Champions League record accrued by Manchester United great Sir Alex Ferguson.
In overseeing City’s 3-1 group stage win against RB Leipzig on Wednesday night, Guardiola racked up his 103rd career win in European football’s most prestigious competition — one more victory than Sir Alex amassed in total during his illustrious 26-year United tenure.
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Last season, Guardiola became only the third coach in Champions League history (after Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti) to rack up a century of victories when his City side beat Real Madrid 4-0 in the second leg of the semifinal. Guardiola’s 101st win then came along as City overcame Internazionale in the final to secure a historical treble.
City’s defence of their European crown began with Guardiola earning his 102nd managerial victory with a comfortable 3-1 dispatching of Red Star Belgrade.
Requiring just one more win to overtake the former United manager, City scored twice in the last 10 minutes of their tie in Leipzig to deliver the goods, and that means only one coach in Champions League history has more total victories than Guardiola.
Ancelotti is out in front with 109 total wins, a tally that is almost certain to rise as Real Madrid side continue their flawless start to the 2023-24 Champions League campaign.
